Although, I love Anak by Freddie Aguilar, sometimes the insipid way of singing that the musicians have and the equally sugar syrup words that they sing grates on my nerves. I’ve never gotten into Martin Nievera and Sharon Cuneta.

So, when I stumbled upon Shamrock, guess my jaw dropping experience. Did I know all the words? No, but I got the gist of it. I had to ask people I know for translations. But the likes of Alipin, Paano, and Ngiti. OMG! I’m ready to melt into a puddle of goo. No, they’re not visually aesthetic like the Korean boy bands, but the songs touch some emotionalism within. And for that, I’m glad that Shamrock has taken me past the mediocrity of Pilipino Music. The words are challenging yes, but it’s the way he sings. Whoever he is. I haven’t researched him out yet. The songwriter is also very good. Sandata is a particular favorite… But I’m currently under the spell of one “Sana” which translates loosely “I Hope”. The lyrics go:

I hope I’m not denied a second’s glimpse of youOr hear the momentary note of your voiceMy heart is open and waiting to love only youMy admiration, my deepest love is pure and true…

Wow! That’s all I can say… Deep… to the core of ideal grace. I hope Pinoy music keeps churning out voices and music like this. Then if that is so, I’ll find you and keep you in my arsenal of world music. You’re lucky there’s an online dictionary. Maybe I’m lucky there is an online dictionary for Pilipino. For how I discovered them? YouTube. Same way I discovered KPop. So, my Filipino lovers of music, put them out on YouTube. I may discover one that I would truly support. The only caveat, because I have such eclectic tastes in Music from the musicals to jazz, to rock, to alternatives… truly only unique genius need apply. After all, they have to compete with the likes of Sting and Jon Bon Jovi as well as new comers like Jung Joon Young or CNBLUE in my playlist.

If you like music, for music’s sake, try them. Even without knowing what the translated words say.

The translation for Alipin is on my pages. It is titled “Your Servant”.

A/N: pictures aren’t mine. Any pictures of artists and the like are never mine. The belong to the various people that take them and post them on the internet. Thank You!!! Selamat Kepay!!! Gracias!!!! Merci beaucoup!!!! Maraming Salamat!!!

I may not admit it
The importance of you to me
I may not think deeply about it
But in my sleep, it’s you I dream of
My thoughts may be unclear
Still I hope you will lend your ear
to the screaming of my feelings

I am your servant
Even if it’s not obvious
I’ll admit
Sometimes I’m so oblivious
Still, I hope that you would know
How much I yearn for your embrace…

I will forsake any other
Because you’re all I need
Whatever you have to say
Believe me, I’ll listen to all of it
Though we often fight like cats and dogs
Darling, my happiness is always when I’m with you

I am your servant
Even if it’s not obvious
I’ll admit
Sometimes I’m so oblivious
Still, I hope that you will know
How much I yearn for your embrace…

Even if it seems that we’ll never reach
That impossible star
As long as you will always be by my side…
I am your servant
Even if it’s not obvious
I’ll admit
Sometimes I’m so oblivious
Still, I hope that you will know
How much I yearn for your embrace…

Because you’re the only one
I want sleeping next to me
It doesn’t matter if the nights are cold or hot
I hope you’ll understand this message
That you are the only one I love deeply.

I was at a loss when TNWM’s J AND T3M ended. And being at a loss couldn’t find another thing to fill it. I suppose laundry, dishes and stuff like that could have filled that two hour time slot in every week of my life, but eh… I tripped upon Misaeng. Im Siwan. I wasn’t really thinking that I’d like it. And surprise!

Perhaps it was the philosophical nuances that Jang Geu Rae infuses into the work. Wait, wait. I meant, the writers. I want to read the webtoon now. Hah! I’ll have to look it up and see if it’s close to what was placed in the webtoon. But this is what I mean about the effectiveness of writers. The story is truly well built with instances of philosophical thought thrown in. I was so impressed because the writers had used the game of Go to make a philosophical statement about life. It’s interesting that when I researched Go, it was primarily a chess game. Although with rules, this is more like a war game. Probably why I thought the series (I’ve seen 13 episodes so far) so closely resembled the teachings of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. Or Musashi’s The Book of Five Rings. I think there may have been Bushido in there as well. And Lao Tzu’s Dao De Ching.

“A path is not just where you’re walking, but where you’re walking in order to move forward. A path, which you can’t move forward on, is not a path. A path is opened to everyone, but not everyone can have that path.”

“I have to think that I didn’t work hard enough and that’s why I am here now.”

The characters are so complex! They’re not cartoony and they’re not glossed over. I mean, there is a dark undertone to this work, but Oh, my LORD, GOD! It’s very human. Up to the 13th episode, I have seen the mistakes they do, the prejudice they experience, the painful transitions they go through.

The first episode threw me for a loop. Here was Jang Geu Rae chasing after some dude, speaks English pretty well, then flies into the air like a bird and…. We’re transported to him washing the walls of a sauna. And going to intern for a company. The tailspin had me spinning. What?! Huh?! What happened? It was only later that I realized and didn’t care even at that point that the beginning scenes is most likely the ending of the story. And here we are seeing how the story began. Ooooh… nice premise!

I praise the writers or adapters of this drama. I hope the next episodes prove to be just as entertaining and mind-gasmic.

No, I have no Im Siwan bias. I only got to know him through Triangle as Yeongdal’s brother. I can’t rate the acting. As of now, Im Siwan’s Jang Geu Rae is ignorantly innocent and morose – a fledgling who is uncertain. He’s got that part down pat. I’m waiting to see how his character develops from this point on. I am however praising his boss and his boss’ underling. Oooh. Such good acting! The range of emotions shown is incredible. I’m like a worker in the office unsure of what I’m going to come back to with regards to this boss. When Oh Sangsik is remorseful, you see it in his body stance. When he’s restless, it seems like his chair doesn’t sit still either. But when he’s thinking and depressed and feeling like… whatever… ah you see it. You feel it. And when he gets angry, it’s like a volcano. I can’t stop watching, but I want to cower under a desk as well.

So praises for this drama. There are only a few that I’ve really liked from beginning to end. I hope this one lives up to my expectations. Idol actors notwithstanding.